THE PROBLEM WITH SISTERS

Be sure that your sin will find you out. - Number 32:23b (NLT)

      It was another cool October afternoon in Pupperville and Martha Peterson was out shopping again. Since she still needed a costume for herself she headed back to the costume aisle. As she rounded the corner of the costume aisle she walked right into a girl trying on a pirate costume and tipped her shopping cart over.

     The young girl quickly spun around and shouted “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” at Martha. “I’m sorry.” Martha apologized, “I was busy looking for a costume and forgot to watch where I was going.” “Well, maybe you should just quit looking and get lost.” the girl shouted back at Martha.

     “Why in the world would I do that?” Martha calmly asked. “Because you’re messing up my whole life.” The girl answered as she took off her mask. “Are you Mindy?” Martha asked a little unsure. “Yes,” Mindy replied, “And because of you everything is ruined.”

     “I didn’t bump you that hard.” Martha responded. “That bump was nothing.” Mindy snorted, “Because of you Cindy didn’t pretend to be ME at the costume party. She went as herself.” “Well, good for her.” Martha injected. “GOOD?” Mindy shouted back, “You talked her out of it and now Greg won’t even talk to me.”

     “So,” Martha questioned, “are you saying it’s my fault that Cindy did what was right?” “No” Mindy answered, “It’s your fault Greg won’t talk to me and I can’t even pretend to be Cindy because they have some kind of secret code to tell us apart.” “Well,” Martha smiled, “At least you still have Peter.”

     “Peter?” Mindy said a bit confused. “Yeah,” Martha replied, “Cindy said the reason she was supposed to pretend to be you was so you could go bowling with Peter.” “Um” was all that Mindy could say. “You did go bowling last week didn’t you?” Martha asked. “Well,” Mindy drooped her head, “There is no Peter and I didn’t go bowling.”

     “Now I’m confused.” Martha said as she shook her head. “I didn’t want to go to the costume party because my costume got ruined.” Mindy confessed. “Why didn’t you just tell the truth?” Martha asked. “Because,” Mindy said, “I was afraid I would lose Greg’s friendship.” “Looks like you lost it anyways.” Martha replied. “Yeah,” Mindy said in disgust, “And Mom found out as well and now I’m grounded. I guess I’m reaping what I sowed.. I better go before I get in more trouble.” “And I better find a costume.” Martha said as she turned her attention to a oversized bunny.

     If you throw a boomerang it goes out and.... falls on the ground. If someone who knows how to throw a boomerang throws one, it goes out and comes back. In Number 32 a promise is made and those who made that promise were warned in verse 23 if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. (NLT)

     Mindy's attempt to deceive caught up to her, Jacob's ploy at deception catches up to him as well. Galatians 6:7 says Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (ESV) Jacob sowed the sin of deception and in time, well, let's look at the story.

      Esau hated Jacob because he had stolen his blessing, and he said to himself, "My father will soon be dead and gone. Then I will kill Jacob." But someone got wind of what Esau was planning and reported it to Rebekah. She sent for Jacob and told him, "Esau is threatening to kill you. This is what you should do. Flee to your uncle Laban in Haran … finally arriving in the land of the east. He saw in the distance three flocks of sheep lying in an open field beside a well, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. It was the custom there to wait for all the flocks to arrive before removing the stone. After watering them, the stone would be rolled back over the mouth of the well. Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked them, "Where do you live?" "At Haran," they said. "Do you know a man there named Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "Yes, we do," they replied. "How is he?" Jacob asked. "He's well and prosperous. Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." … After Jacob had been there about a month, Laban said to him, "You shouldn't work for me without pay just because we are relatives. How much do you want?" … Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, "I'll work for you seven years if you'll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife." "Agreed!" Laban replied. "I'd rather give her to you than to someone outside the family." So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. Finally, the time came for him to marry her. "I have fulfilled my contract," Jacob said to Laban. "Now give me my wife so we can be married." So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood to celebrate with Jacob at a wedding feast. That night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her … when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! "What sort of trick is this?" Jacob raged at Laban. "I worked seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?" "It's not our custom to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn," Laban replied. "Wait until the bridal week is over, and you can have Rachel, too—that is, if you promise to work another seven years for me." So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too.

Genesis 27:41- 29:38 (NLT)

     There's an old saying that says “What goes around comes around.” Jacob deceived and he was deceived. Laban deceived and years later he would be deceived. Sin has away of catching up to us, we reap what we sow.

     One more thing 2 Corinthians 9:6 says the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. (HCSB)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• What are you sowing?
• How are things catching up to you?